Parallel strand control for winders and the like



E. L. WOODS April 3, 1956 PARALLEL STRAND CONTROL FOR WINDERS AND THE LIKE Filed March 1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l EDGAR .L.WooDS,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS E. L. WOOD 5 April 3, 1956 PARALLEL STRAND CONTROL FOR WINDERS AND THE LIKE Filed March 1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 s QQD R 4 0w mw WL o 2 N 7 m m w 15 In all 6 g 7 4 0 9 7 5 a 5 7 6 I. a 2 A 9 4 m W 6 ATTORNE E. L. WOODS A ril 3, 1956 PARALLEL STRAND CONTROL FOR WINDERS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 1, 1954 INVENTOR: EDGAR 1... WOODS,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent PARALLEL STRAND CONTROL FORWINDERS AND THE LIKE Edgar L. Woods, Valdese, N. C., assignor to Valdese Manufacturing Company, Ind, Valdese, N. (2., a corporation of North Carolina Application March 1, 1954, Serial No. 413,267

2 Claims. (Cl. 242-38.)

This invention relates to machines for winding two or more strands onto a package in parallel relation and more especially to an improved parallel strand guiding attachment for winding machines wherein means are provided for parting one of two or more strands when the other or others of the strands break or become otherwise parted.

As is well known in the art, the usual typesof winding machines are provided with means for winding yarn from a bobbin to a driven package and are provided with stop mechanism controlled by the running yarn for stopping rotation of the package upon breakage or parting of the yarn. Although the stop mechanisms of such prior devices have operated satisfactorily when a singlet yarn was being wound onto a package, they have not been adapted for use where two or more yarnsare wound onto the package in parallel relation, since such prior devices will stop the winding operation only when all ofthe yarns directed. to a particular package break and not when a single. yarn breaks, with the resultthat a. single yarn or yarns or less than the desired number of endswill be wound onto the package.

Attempts have been made to provide a stop mechanism for stopping the winding operaiton when one of twoor more. yarns or strands breaks, but such prior devices controlled by several yarns have been objectionable because they have been extremely complicated to build and nec essarily quite expensive and, more particularly, it'has been necessary to twist complementary yarns when using such prior devices, since it has been necessary to rotate the mechanism controlled by each of the yarns in order that the mechanism would be. efiective in stopping the winding operation on any one or more of the yarns being parted while another or others of the yarns supplied to the package remain intact.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide an attachment for winding machines: and the like having means for guiding two or more yarns in their course from respective bobbins to a power-driven package in such a manner that the yarns remain substantially parallel, i. e. the yarns are not intertwisted, and having means operable to stop the winding operation upon the breakage or parting of a single yarn.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus of the character last-described which is particularly applicable for use with a winding machine or the like of the type having a normally biased gripping means thereon which is restrained from movement in one direction by the parallel yarns passing in engagement therewith and which gripping means will stop the winding operation upon failure of the yarn to hold the gripping means against excessive movement in the direction in which it is biased. To this end, each of the yarns directed to a particular package moves in engagement with a corresponding detector lever which is normally held in a predetermined position by the running yarn so that when any one of the yarns breaks or becomes exhausted the corresponding lever will be actuated by gravity to move a cam fixed to the corresponding lever into engagemeut with the other or others of the yarns to pinch the same against: a platen to thereby break said others ofthe yarns. so that all of the yarns passing in engagement with the. usual stop control lever will be parted. to permit the stop control lever to actuate the stop motion of the machine.

Some of the objects of the invention havingbeen stated, other objects will appear as'the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved stop motion actuator in association with aconventional slub catcher of a winding machine;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the stop motion actuator, looking at the opposite side thereof from that shown in Figure 1 and showing the same on a reduced scale in association with a winding machine;

Figure 3 is-a front elevation of the improved stop motion actuator removed from the slub catcher and showing the relative positions of the detector levers immediately after one of the yarns has broken or become exhausted;

Figure 4 is a view similar to the central portion of Figure 3, but showing how the other of the two detector levers swings downwardly and outwardly by gravity after both of the two yarns havebeen parted;

Figure. 5 is aview similar to Figure 3 showing the po sition of the detector levers during proper operation of the-machine; that is, while. both of the yarns are intact and under proper tension;

Figure 6 is a view looking at the. right-hand side of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is. a top plan, view, partially in section, taken substantially along. line. 77 in- Figure. 6;

Figure 8 isan enlarged. vertical sectional view taken along 88 inrFigure 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the improved stop motion actuator is show in association with a winding machine of usual construction and, although the present invention is not. limited thereto, the present invention is shown in association with a winding machine substantially-ofthe type disclosed in the patent to David E. Mills, No. 2,144,192. of January 17-, 1939.

The winding machine comprises a yarn-receiver or package. 10 carried by anarm 11 which is: pivoted on a shaft 12. The package or yarn receiver 10 normally rests against and is driven by a constantly driven drive roll 13 having the usual means for traversing the yarn back and forth axially of the package being wound. The winding machine has a housing 14 thereon spaced beneath the drive roll 13 in which conventional means, not shown, are provided for raising the arm 11 and package It) out of engagement with the, drive roll 13 upon upward movement. of a normally upwardly biased stop motion lever 15. The stop motion lever 15 is substantially L-shaped and the shank thereof is fixed on a shaft 16 journaled in the housing 14, which shaft actuates the conventional means disposed within the housing 14 for raising the arm 11 and package It) upon parting of the yarn or in the absence of other means for maintaining the lever in Iow ered positions, all of, which is clearly shown and described in said patent and a further illustration and description thereof thus being deemed unnecessary.

The frame of the winding machine is generally designated at 20 and includes av rail 21 which extends longitudinally of the machine and is fixed to angularly disposed bars 22. This; rail 21 supports a plurality of brackets 23, only one of: which is shown.

The bracket 23 shown in Figure 2 is similar to bracket of said patent and usually has a spindle thereon forsupporting ajbobbin from which the yarn is drawn. How ever, since; the. present stop motion actuator is particularly provided to facilitate winding two or more parallel yarns, it is preferable that a suitable beam or spindle rail be provided which is spaced below the level of and outwardly of the bracket 23.

In this instance, the improved stop motion actuator is shown for use with two parallel strands or yarns indicated at (-1 and Y2 (Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) and the description, hereinafter, shall be given accordingly. However, it is to be distinctly understood that the principles of the present invention may be readily applied wherein a considerably greater number of yarns are fed to a single package in parallel relationship.

The two yarns Y-l and Y-Z are drawn from respective packages, spools or bobbins P-1 and P-2 carried by. the beam 25 and preferably pass upwardly and through a suitable slub-catcher broadly designated at 26. Thereafter, the yarns Y-1 and Y-2 extend through the improved stop motion actuator broadly designated at 27 and under a guide shown in the form of a guide wire 30 which, in this instance, forms a part of the improved stop motion actuator, and thence over a cross bar 31 forming one of the legs of the L-shaped member or breakage lever of the conventional stop motion of the machine. From the cross bar 31, the yarn leads upwardly to feed through the grooves, not shown, of the drive roll or traverse roll 13 which feeds the yarn onto the package 16.

Although the slub-catcher 26 is shown in Figures 1 and 2, it will be apparent as the description proceeds that the improved stop motion actuator 27 may be used without the slob-catcher 26.

Since there are many different types of slub-catchers which may be used, only so much of the slub-catcher 26 will be described as to define the manner in which it is associated with the improved stop motion actuator 27. The slob-catcher 26 comprises a substantially rectangu' lar frame 33 which carries at its free or front end a suitable guide member 34 through which the yarns pass for directing the yarns Y-1 and Y-2 between tension disks 35 and 36.

From the tension disks 35 and 36, the yarns Y-1 and Y-2 diverge and pass through slots or openings and 41 formed adjacent lower portions of each of a pair of blades 42 and 43 whose lower edges are spaced closely adjacent to a pair of transverse bars 44 and 45, respectively. The yarns Y-l and Y-2 then pass beneath a guide rod or roller 47 from whence they pass upwardly through the improved stop motion actuator to be later described.

The frame 33 of the slub-catcher 26 is usually attached to the downwardly and outwardly inclined free end of an arm 23a integral with the bracket 23, by means of screws 50 and, heretofore, the arm 23:: on prior machines has been disposed on a higher lever than that shown in Figure 2, relative to the breakage lever 15, so the cross bar 31 of the breakage lever was disposed immediately adjacent the guide rod or roller 47. However, the arm 23a is spaced from the upper end of the bracket 23 to provide sufficient space between the slab-catcher 26 and the free end or cross bar 31 of the breakage lever 15 to accommodate the improved stop motion actuator 27 which will now be described in detail.

The stop motion actuator 27 comprises a composite or built-up bracket including a substantially vertically disposed plate 51 whose lower portion is disposed between the proximal surfaces of the arm 23a of bracket 23 and the frame 33 of the slub-catcher 26 and is held therein by means of the screws 50 heretofore described. The upper end of the plate 51 has a lateral projection 52 thereon which may be suitably secured to the plate 51 or integral therewith and to which one down-turned end of the yarn guide or guide wire 30 is suitably secured. Disposed outwardly of, and on a slightly lower level than the guide rod or Wire 30, is a similar guide rod or wire 53, one end of which is free and other of which is fixed on the block or projection 52, such as by means of a screw 54, adjacent the plate 51.

Spaced beneath the yarn guide rod 53 is a pair of yarn restraining rods or pins 56 and 57 whose outer ends preferably flare or diverge outwardly and whose inner ends converge inwardly and then extend inwardly and are bent upwardly and formed integral with a loop portion 60 which is penetrated by a bolt 61 for securing the yarn restraining rods or pins 56 and 57 in fixed relation to a substantially vertically disposed plate 62. The plate 62 is disposed laterally relative to plate 51 and is fixed to a lateral portion of an angle clip or angle plate 64, as by screws 65. The outwardly projecting leg of the L-shaped angle plate 64 is suitably secured to the outer surface of the plate 51, as by screws 66.

The yarns Y-1 and Y-2 normally engage the proximal or inner surfaces of the yarn restraining rods or pins 56 and 5'7, respectively, and normally disposed beneath the pins 56 and 57 and slightly inwardly thereof are outwardly projecting portions and 71 of respective detector levers 72 and 73. The distal or outer remote surfaces of the outwardly projecting portions 70 and 71 of the detector levers 72 and 73 are engaged and normally maintained in substantially the position shown in Figure 5 by the respective yarns or strands Y1 and Y2.

It will be noted that the detector levers 72 and 73 extend downwardly from the arms 70 and 71 thereof at an angle and across each other and have at their lower ends suitable cam members or yarn clamping members 75 and 76, respectively. The cam members 75 and 76 may be formed integral withthe yarn detector levers 72 and 73, but are shown in Figure 8 as being welded to the outwardly bent lower ends of the respective detector levers 72 and 73, as at 77. The cam members or clamping members 75 and 76 are of tubular construction and are mounted on respective shafts or rods 80 and 81 whose inner ends are suitably secured to the lower portion of the plate 62. Each of the cams or yarn clamping members 75 and 76 has an outwardly projecting longitudinally extending portion 82 formed integral therewith which is disposed substantially diametrically opposite the corresponding detector lever. When the yarns Y- -1 and Y-2 are under proper tension, they freely pass upwardly between the outer surfaces of the cams 75 and 76 and respective platens or abutments 85 and 86 which are shown in the form of elongated bars normally spaced closely adjacent the respective cams 75 and 76. These bars 85 and 86 are suitably secured, as by screws 87, to the respectively outwardly projecting ears 90 and 91 formed integral with the lower portion of the plate 62.

It will be noted that the horizontal portions 70 and 71 of the respective detector levers 72 and 73 are preferably longer than or extend outwardly beyond the ends of the yarn restraining rods or pins 56 and 57 and are also flared outwardly in diverging relationship as best shown in Figures 1 and 7. The outwardly diverging ends of the yarn restraining rods or pins 56 and 57 and the outwardly diverging free ends of the portions 70 and 71 of the detector levers 72 and 73 are merely provided to facilitate ease in threading the yarns between the portions 70 and 71 of the levers 72 and 73 and the respective yarn restraining pins 56 and 57.

Since the earns 75 and 76 are loosely mounted on the respective shafts 81 and 32, it is preferable that the free ends of the shafts 81 and 82 each has a reduced portion 93 thereon extending outwardly beyond the corrcsponding cam and which reduced portions have a retainiug pin 94 extending therethrough and connecting the same to thereby retain the camsor clamping members 75 and 76 on the respective shafts 80 and 81.

It is thus seen that during proper operation of the machine, that is, when the yarns are passing through the device under proper tension, they pass between the yarn restraining pins 56 and 57 and the respective outwardly projecting portions 70 and 71 of the detector levers 72 and 73 and thereby permit the yarn to pass freely between the cams 75 and 76 and the respective abutments 85 and 86. However, in the event of either of the yarns Y-1 or Y-Z becoming unduly slackened or broken, since the detector levers 72 and 73 are over-balanced or may be provided with spring means urging them apart, the corresponding detector lever will swing outwardly and the cam thereon will thus be swung into engagement with the other of the yarns, pressing the same against the corresponding abutment and further pull on the yarn will thus part the same. This is most clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 wherein it will be noted that the yarn Y-l has parted or become exhausted, thus permitting the detector lever 72 to swing outwardly by gravity away from the upper end of the detector lever 73.

As the detector lever 72 swings outwardly, the projection 82 on the corresponding cam or clamping member 75 engages the yarn Y-2 and clamps the same against the proximal surface of the abutment 85. Now, since both of the yarns Y-l and Y-2 are pulled upwardly as they are fed onto the package by the drive roll 13 (Figure 2), it follows that the pull of the yarn Y-2 will break the same adjacent the point at which the projection 82 on the cam 75 engages the abutment 85.

The detector lever 73 will then swing outwardly so that both the arms 72 and 73 occupy substantially the position shown in Figure 4. Of course, if the yarn Y-2 breaks before the yarn Y4, the detector levers 72 and 73 will operate in the opposite manner from that heretofore described, that is, the upper end of the detector lever 73 will first move outwardly away from lever 72 to pinch the yarn Y-1 between the portion 82 of cam 76 and the abutment 86 and whereupon the yarn Y1 will then be broken.

It is apparent that, upon both of the yarns Y-1 and Y-Z being parted, running out, breaking, or becoming unduly slackened, the upwardly biased breakage lever 15 will then be free to move upwardly to actuate the mechanism disposed within the housing 14 and to thereby cause the arm 11 and package 10 to move upwardly and stop further rotation of the package 10 until the yarns Y-l and Y-Z are again pieced and threaded through the stop motion actuator as shown in Figures 2, 5, 6 and 7.

It is thus seen that I have provided apparatus for actuating the conventional stop motion of a winding machine or the like which operates when one of two or more substantially parallel yarns break or becomes unduly slackened to break the other yarn or yarns which thus renders the stop mechanism of the machine operable for stopping the machine.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms have been employed they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Strand parting apparatus for parting one of a pair of first and second strands upon the other of said strands being parted and wherein the strands of said pair of strands move in a substantially vertical path in substantially parallel relationship from a source to a take-up means; said strand parting apparatus comprising a substantially upright support having a pair of laterally spaced first and second platens projecting therefrom, a pair of first and second yarn restraining rods spaced substantially above the respective first and second platens and projecting outwardly from said support, first and second shafts fixed to said support and spaced inwardly of the respective second and first platens, first and second eccentric cams journaled on the respective first and sec ond shafts, first and second detector levers fixed at their lower ends to the respective first and second cams and extending upwardly therefrom and crossing each other and having respective first and second outwardly projecting portions thereon whereby said first and second strands normally pass between the first and second platens and the second and first cams and also normally pass between the first and second restraining rods and the first and second outwardly projecting portions on the respective first and second detector levers to thereby normally maintain the first and second projections on the respective first and second detector levers in close proximity to the respective first and second restraining rods and whereby, upon either of said strands being parted, the upper end of the corresponding detector lever is permitted to move outwardly away from the other detector lever by gravity to thereby move the corresponding eccentric cam toward the corresponding platen to part the other strand in said pair.

2. Strand parting apparatus for parting one of a pair of first and second strands upon'the other of said strands being parted and wherein the strands of said pair of strands move in a substantially vertical path in substantially parallel relationship from a source to a take-up means; said strand parting apparatus comprising a substantially upright support having a pair of laterally spaced first and second platens projecting therefrom, a pair of first and second yarn restraining elements spaced substantially above the respective first and second platens and projecting outwardly from said support, first and second clamping members journaled on said support and normally spaced inwardly of the respective second and first platens, first and second detector levers connected at their lower end to the respective first and second clamping members and extending upwardly therefrom and crossing each other and having respective first and second outwardly projecting portions thereon whereby said first and second strands normally pass between the first and second platens and the second and first clamping members and also normally pass between the first and second restraining elements and the outwardly projecting portions on the respective first and second detector lovers to thereby normally maintain the projections on the respective first and second detector levers in close proximity to the respective first and second restraining elements and thereby normally maintaining the clamping members in spaced relation to the respective platens whereby, upon either of said strands being parted, the upper end of the corresponding detector lever is permitted to move outwardly away from the other detector lever by gravity to thereby move the corresponding clamping member toward the corresponding platen to clamp the other strand against the latter platen to part the other strand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

